The present invention relates generally to hog farrowing systems and specifically to a hog farrowing system for use in cold environments which permits unrestricted female hog movement and promotes natural mothering instincts of the female hog.
Conventional farrowing systems isolate pregnant female hogs within a steel cage prior to them farrowing a litter of piglets. The cage has a bottom grate through which the female hog defecates and urinates. Water and feed troughs are provided in the cage and feed must be hand delivered to the cage. This conventional farrowing system does not permit the female hog to move except for standing up and lying down. This conventional system does not accommodate the female hog's natural mothering instinct to build a nest and consequently the female hog will rub her snout along the floor of the cage and chew on the steel bars of the cage. The associated stresses with the conventional farrowing system leads to physical injury, infection of the mammary glands, and low milk let-down. In addition, the conventional system is more labor intensive because they must have feed hand transported directly to the female hog.
Farrowing systems have been developed to counteract the stresses and pressures encountered by female hogs in conventional farrowing systems. Summer pasture hut farrowing is well suited to provide a mothering female hog with a farrowing environment free of man-made stresses. In this environment, a female hog is free-ranging in a pasture. The most obvious issues with summer pasturing of farrowing systems is that the weather elements become an issue in the fall, winter, and spring. Therefore, an objective of the present invention is to develop a farrowing system that may be used in a cold environment but have the characteristics of summer pasture hut farrowing that include unrestricted female hog movement in and out of farrowing boxes and promote natural mothering instincts such as building a nest for her litter.
Simulating pasture hut farrowing within an enclosed building is not an easy endeavor particularly in cold weather climates which may withstand typical temperatures at or below −12° F. and wind chills approaching −35° F. Accordingly, it is a further objective of the present invention to provide a farrowing system which permits female hogs to farrow and express their natural instincts during cold weather as they would in summer pasture hut farrowing.
An indoor farrowing system is still further complicated when engaging inhumane on-farm husbandry with criteria such as providing housing that is spacious enough for a mothering female hog to lie down in full lateral recumbency at one time and to move freely; providing an environment so that the female hogs may be active and social; providing the hogs continuous access to bedding with straw or corn stover in which they can root, explore, play or build nests; and providing continuous access to shelter that protects the female hog and her piglets from cold, wind and rain. Accordingly, a further objective of the present invention is to provide a farrowing system which incorporates general humane on-farm husbandry standards for farrowing hogs.
Conventional farming techniques using cages are often used by large corporate farms. These large farms are not typically inclined to utilize humane on-farm husbandry for farrowing hogs. A family farm that owns the hogs, depends upon the farm for its livelihood, and provides the daily physical labor to manage the hogs and farm operations are more likely to adopt humane on-farm husbandry. Accordingly, it is a still further objective of the present invention to provide a farrowing system which may be easily adapted to a family farm and modify existing buildings so that a family farmer may make a livelihood from the farm.
Conventional farrowing systems have no standards which require buildings to be constructed with windows or openings that let in daylight. In addition, conventional systems are not given sufficient space to keep defecation and urination areas separate from female hog eating areas. Accordingly, a still further objective of the present invention is to provide buildings constructed with windows or openings that let in daylight and have sufficient floor space to keep the defecation and urination area separate from the feeding and drinking areas.
Conventional farrowing systems have also aspired to remove the piglets from the mother at as early an age as 2 weeks. A humane husbandry guideline is that weaning shall take place at a piglet weight or age that considers the health and welfare of both the piglets and their mothers. Although this age/weight may vary depending upon the breed of the female hog, whether the female hog is a sow (a female hog that has had a litter of piglets) or a gilt (a female hog that has not had a litter of piglets), and the health of the individual piglets, the recommended weaning age is typically six weeks with a minimum weaning age of five weeks. Accordingly, it is a still further objective of the present invention to provide a weaning of piglets that considers both the health and welfare of the piglets and their mother.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide adequate space requirements for animals if they are not free ranging in pastures but are instead in an enclosed building structure. The Animal Welfare Institute recommends 42 square feet for a gilt and her litter. Accordingly, it is a still further objective of the present invention to provide adequate space for the female mothering hog and her litter of piglets. In addition, a further objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus to prevent two female hog from occupying the same space.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.